Port Elizabeth, South Africa - A dock worker in Port Elizabeth came upon a frightening sight when he entered a bathroom and heard a threatening growl, soon discovering an unexpected animal.

As the man fled, he realized that it was a caracal - that is, a wild cat that bears a strong resemblance to the lynx.

He immediately called Arnold Slabbert, a wildlife expert from the region, and despite his years of experience, even Slabbert was shocked at the discovery.

Speaking to The Dodo this week, he said, "There's tons of containers and big ships there, so it’s the last place you would expect to find a caracal or a lynx hanging around."

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The fact that the wild cat wasn't killed when it first walked through the port, which operates around the clock, is "amazing," Slabbert said.

After the wild animal was discovered, no one dared enter the restroom. Fortunately, the expert was quickly on the scene to keep things in order.

"She was pretty nervous," Slabbert explained. "You could see that she was very confused as to where she was exactly."

So, in addition to the workers, the female caracal seemed equally unaware of how she got into this situation.

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Together with his team, Slabbert managed to lure the wild cat into a cage, and after about 25 minutes, the spook was over.

The caracal has since been released into the wild and has not been seen in the harbor since.